


In fact, he'll fit right in

by Akhuna



Series: Ficlets and Oneshots [3]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Cats, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Male-Female Friendship, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 13:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9183298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akhuna/pseuds/Akhuna
Summary: This was a oneshot for a prompt I got on tumblr - What would actually happen, if Eskel and Juka adopted a pet? We'll see ...





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was a oneshot for a prompt I got on tumblr - What would actually happen, if Eskel and Juka adopted a pet? We'll see ...

“ _Mhmmmmm_ “. Juka inhaled deeply and opened her eyes. A happy grin appeared on her face. “Autumn has the best air. No doubts about that.“

“I have no preferences, but I agree. The air _is_ great right now.“ 

“How much longer?“

“Not that much. Two hours, then we should be there. Are you tired?“

“No. I'm fine. It's a great day – look at all the colours in the trees!“ The half-gnome reigned her pony to the side of the street to get a better look into the valley they were approaching from above.

Eskel smiled.  
  


_Nice to see her so happy._   
  


He, for his part, couldn't complain either. The day was indeed beautiful: The sky was blue and no cloud was in sight; the trees were a feast of orange and yellow and the sun was shining. They had been setting off from Kaer Morhen yesterday morning, and had spent the night camping on a small clearing in the woods, looking at the stars, talking and laughing before drifting off to sleep, side by side. This morning, they had eaten bacon and eggs fried in a pan Juka had packed from the Kaer's kitchen and eaten half of her latest loaf of bread, along with a few late pears he had remembered to pack.

“Your riding style has improved a lot“.

“Yeah, I get lots of practice these days“, Juka said casually. For a moment, she kept her face steady - then, she stole a glance at his dumbstruck face and he could see the corners of her mouth twitching before she burst into laughter. After a minute or so, she wiped a tear from her cheek. “I'm sorry“, she said, still grinning, “that was childish.“

He chuckled, pulling on Scorpion's reigns so their horses trotted side by side so he could reach out and take her hand. “I'm fine with that“.  
  


_Who would've thought?_   
  


She intertwined her fingers with his and they smiled at each other, before she leant forward and patted the pony's neck “But yes“, she said, “you're right. I'm getting used to the saddle; Geralt helped me adjusting it a bit and since then it's been a lot better.“ 

“Are you still sad that you couldn't take Apolonius?“, he asked carefully. She had taken her time saying goodbye to the donkey, who had seemed deeply offended by not being allowed to come along.

“I guess … You were right, he is getting old. And this would be a bit much for him.“ Juka sighed.  
  


_I seriously hope he's got a few more years in him. I'm really glad that Vesemir came up with the idea for the pony._   
  


“She is alright though“, the half-gnome stroked the pony's mane; the little horse responded with a happy whinny and twitched her ears. “We're getting to know each other and she hasn't tried to throw me off in a week.“ 

“Glad to hear that. Think we could try a little race?“

Juka's eyes shone with enthusiasm, “you bet!“  
  


~ ~ ~  
  


Two hours later, they finally reached the village. The market place was full of people, smells and shouting, and Juka held the pony's reigns short as she was making her way through the crowds. Eskel stepped up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

“See that big house over there?”, he had to raise his voice so she could hear him, “that's the Inn, there's where we'll leave the horses and grab a bite to eat.”

“This sounds all too familiar”, Juka's tone was dry as a bone, and the Witcher grinned, “let's only hope they aren't full!”

“What can I say, some things never get old.”

 

While Scorpion and the pony were munching on two small buckets of oats, Eskel and Juka sat at one of the inn's tables, drinking the beer the owner had brought them as soon as they had sat down.

“They don't seem to be afraid of Witchers”, Juka turned her head to look at the innkeep, who was tending to other customers. As he caught her glance, he gave her a polite smile, bowing his head. A few minutes later, Eskel and her were served bowls of steaming hot stew.

“Yeah it's a nice change.”, Eskel took another swig of beer, while he pushed the list Vesemir had given him over to Juka for her to read.

“It says nails … and a new hammer ...”

The Witcher sighed.  
  


_As if these were helping anything._   
  


“Better make that two”, he said, “Geralt broke the last one, if he does that again, we won't get much work done this winter”.

“Good, so two new hammers”, Juka took out a pencil and corrected the entry, “then more cheese, flour, a new broom …

I need wool”, she added, putting it on the bottom of the list, “I need to be able to spin, otherwise I'll go bonkers once we get snowed in.”

Eskel nodded. “No problem.”

“And I wanted to talk to you about something.” Juka put down the pencil, “it's important”.  
  


_Erm …_   
  


“Sure”, setting his tankard down, the Witcher leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table, “open up. I'm all ears”.

“I think ...”, the young woman hesitated for a moment, drumming the pencil on the wooden table, “I really think that we should get a cat.”

Eskel sat up. “A cat?”

“Yes. I do realise that rats and mice are inevitable at the Kaer, but these rats in the stable are getting _huge_ – and I suspect that some of them have already found their way into the kitchen.”

The half-gnome's face was earnest as she tucked a strand of hair behind her right ear, “I'm not squeamish when it comes to rats, but I don't want them to get into the food, that's not funny at all, even if I am the only one who could get sick. But I'm sure that nobody wants rat poop in the flour.”

“A cat would be hard to bring back to Kaer Morhen”, Eskel pointed out, “besides, I'm not sure the lads will be jumping with joy. Geralt hates cats, and from what he's told me, that's mutual.”

“I'm not talking of a lapcat” Juka pushed her empty bowl away and emptied her tankard, “I am not even planning on feeding it. There are enough mice and rats so we wouldn't have to bother with it. And it will not sleep in anybody's bed”, she added, “we only need it to hunt down the rats. Because once they have a nest in the kitchen, we'll have them everywhere. And I'm not fond of stepping on one when I get out of bed.”

“Well …” Eskel stretched his legs under the table and scratched his neck, “sounds reasonable to me. Let's see if we find one.”

“Great!” Juka's face lit up and she stuffed the pencil and parchment into her pocket, “shall we?”

  
~ ~ ~

“Come on, last try. I'll be quick about it. Promise”. Juka's eyes were pleading with him, and he found himself nodding, despite the growing annoyance.  
  


_I want to go home. It's too loud._

  
They had been going around the village for the last two or three hours – they could have been a lot quicker about making their purchases, but Juka's gnomish nature had come through and she hadn't been able to resist the opportunity for a good haggle with the sellers for almost every item. While this had taken a considerable amount of time, Eskel had to admit that their purchases had cost a lot less than if they had been doing what he usually did, which was accepting the first or second price the seller told him. 

Time, however, had taken its toll, and he was weary of the voices, the smells, the  _people_ – despite the break he had taken in a quiet corner of the market place while Juka was bargaining for a large amount of woollen fleece. She had it stripped to her back now; Eskel was carrying a sack of flour over his shoulder, along with a second one that held the cheese. They had divided the new tools among themselves, so that a pouch of nails and one of the hammers hung from Juka's belt.   
  


The half-gnome interrupted his brooding by laying a hand on his arm.

“Look! Over there!”

She pointed to a small booth in the shade, where a grim-looking man was watching over several cages, all of which containing cats.

Eskel sighed and adjusted the sacks on his shoulders. “Alright, let's go.”

Juka marched over and gave a polite bow. “Good day. I'd like to buy a cat.”

“Ahh.” The seller looked at her approvingly and glanced quickly at Eskel, who was keeping himself in the background, “of course. Let me see … I have just the sweetest little companion for a pretty little woman like you.”

The pretty little woman gave a small snort and crossed her arms. Eskel laughed silently to himself.

The man busied himself with the cages and finally presented her with a smaller cage holding a snow-white kitten that was pawing the bars of its little wooden prison.

“Here. Isn't she sweet? Look at the blue eyes – like crystals! And the white fur is as pure as a swan's down. She will make a most precious little friend for you, she loves cuddles and she will love to keep you warm at night. No offense, Master Witcher”, he smirked as he gave a mocking bow in Eskel's direction.

Eskel simply raised an eyebrow, now crossing his arms as well.  
  


_Nice try._   
  


“Cats with blue eyes and white fur are usually deaf”, Juka said matter-of-fact, “I have seen enough of them to know. I need a cat for rats and mice. It doesn't have to be pretty. It shall work for its food, not expecting to sit around on laps by the fireside.”

“Ahh. As you wish.” The man turned around and fetched another cage from the booth. This time, a large grey cat was sitting in it, giving Juka a dignified glance.

“Mhm ...” The young woman scratched her ear and pulled on one of her earrings, “what do you think?”

“Well, she _is_ large.” Eskel took a step closer, “very groomed though. Doesn't look much of a fighter.”

“I beg your pardon, Master Witcher!”, the seller protested, wiping his neck with a dirty handkerchief, “this cat is a great mouser! Absolutely excellent! And if you have any doubt-”

“Mreow!”  
  


_What was that?_   
  


“What was that?” Juka furrowed her brow and eyed the cages, “what-”

“ _Mreow_!”

The seller's face had reddened with rage. “No!”, he shouted, “shut the fuck up! You already chased my last two customers away! And you-”

“ _MREOW!_ ”

“I think you should show us whatever is making this racket.” A truly gnomish smirk had appeared on Juka's face, making her features look more foreign than usual, “it does sound promising to me.”

“Ahh, you don't want that one” the seller took a few deep breaths and waved his hand dismissively, “he's only old and really, really ugly. You'd never want something like that within your-” he threw a glance at Eskel and stopped himself.

Eskel raised his eyebrows a bit further.

“MREOW!!”

“ _Will you shut the fuck up!”_

 __  
Enough of this.  
  


“My good man”, Eskel took a step forward and pointed to the cages, “we are in a bit of a hurry. Our way back is long and we'd like to get home tomorrow, so if you just please give us the cage so we can look at the cat that's making all that noise, then we can be on our way.”

The seller swallowed. “Of … of course, Master Witcher. Of course.”

Carefully, he reached for one of the cages at the top of the stacks and put it in front of Juka.

 __  
Wow. That one is really ugly.  
  


The cat inside the cage was neither looking dignified, nor did it look cute. It was a tomcat, huge, with fierce yellow eyes and a mean look on its face. His fur, a mixture of dirty grey and brown was matted in some places, and it sported several scratches and a missing ear. The tip of his tail, Eskel noted, was split in two, which made it look even more grotesque.

Juka didn't seem to be bothered by this. Looking into the cage, she carefully extended her right hand and held it close to the bars. The tom, who had been hissing and spitting at the seller, threw her a nasty look and started to sniff at her finger, as being deeply annoyed by having to do it.

“Be careful, he bites”, the seller said, looking at Eskel, but the half-gnome shook her head and put her hand in the cage to scratch the cat behind its ears. It answered with a growling purr.

“That's the one. We'll take it.”

“Ahh, but we have so many more beautiful cats in here”, the seller said, pointing to the grey cat who didn't seem to be bothered by this, “she will be of much better use to you! And she still has both her ears ...”

“Oh, I don't mind a missing ear or some scratches”, Juka said casually, rummaging for her purse and nodding to Eskel, who nodded in return, “in fact, he'll fit right in.”

She took out the purse and stepped aside for a small girl in a patched brown skirt and a roughly cut woollen blouse who had approached the seller.

“Look, mummy! Look! It's the kitties again!”, the child piped and reached out to pet the white kitten, “mummy, can we buy a kitten now that daddy got his pay? Please?”

“I told you to _stay away_ from my booth, you ruddy-” The seller, whose face now had almost turned purple, whipped around from the cages and raised his hand.

“Nah nah, there is no need to yell at a small child”, Juka had stepped in front of the girl and the seller lowered his hand after a look into her face.

“I beg your pardon, young lady”, he said, wiping his neck with the handkerchief again, “but this snotty-nosed brat comes every day and starts whining about my cats! If anything, she'll offend other customers! Piss off!”, he yelled at the girl, who seemed to be close to tears and was staggering backwards into the arms of a poor-looking woman, “you have no right to touch my cats if you cannot pay for them!”

“Well, _I_ can pay for the cat.” Juka's face had hardened.  
  


_Well, now he's got her pissed. Here we go._   
  


Juka turned to the girl and waved her forward. “So you need a cat?”, she asked, her voice perfectly friendly.

The girl, put a thumb in her mouth and started to suck at it, staring at her with big eyes. “Yes”, she finally whispered, “because my little brother died last year and now I have no one to play with.”

The half-gnome nodded and put a hand on the little girls' shoulder. “I will pay you double for the kitten”, she announced, looking the seller right into the eye, “and I will rid you of the tom, who is apparently hurting your business – for free, just to do you a favour.”

Taking down the cage with the white kitten, she pressed it into the arms of the little girl, who seemed dumbstruck, and knelt so she could look the child into the eyes. “It might be that this little kitty will not hear a sound in her life”, Eskel heard her say, “so you will have to take extra good care of her. Do you promise me to do that?”

The girl didn't find the words to speak, but nodded vigorously.

“Then we have a deal. Off you go.” Juka gave her a little pat on the shoulder and got up.

“Name your price, master cat-seller!”, she said, “I haven't got all day.”

  
~ ~ ~

  
“Well, I can't wait to see what the others will say about the new addition to the household”, Eskel remarked as they were making rest.   
  
_Especially Lambert._  
  
“Did you think of a name for him already?”

 

Juka looked up from the cage in which the tom was wolfing down the last scrapes of bacon she had fed him. “Of course I have”, she grinned. “I'll call him 'Dyvvelsjyt'.”

 


End file.
